Permanent waving



Sept. 10, 19357.l H, N. DURHAM ET A1.

PERMANENT WAVING Filed NOV. 7, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l NTORS ag?, B'Y

Sept. 10, 1935. H. N. DURHAM ET AL PERMANENT WAVING Filed NOV. 7, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 `oocvo'oocaoo oooaooooo ooooooooo ooooooooo oooocoonooooooaooooouoo uoonoooooaoooocnoooo ATTR Y Sept. 10, 1935. H. N. DURHAM 1=:r A1.

PERMANENT WAVING s sheets-sheet s Filed NOV. 7, 1932 ATTORN Patented Sept. 10, 1935 PATENT OFFICE PERMANENT WAVING Hobart N. Durham, Munsey Park, N. Y., and George B. Finnegan, Jr., Mountain Lakes, N. J., assgnors, by mesne assignments, to Eugene, Ltd., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November '7, 1932, Serial No. 641,576

17 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in permanent waving, and more especially to such improvements both in the process and in the instrumentalities for carrying out said improved process.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in Ypart hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, 'the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Figure l is an elevation, with parts in section, of the embodied instrumentalities applied to 'steaming a tress of living hair;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the mandrel, with parts broken away;

Figure 5 is an elevation of the electrolyte carrier and electrode for the interior of the man drel;

Figure 6 is an elevation ofA a modified form of mandrel;

Figure 7 is an elevation of the exterior curlsteaming device;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevation of a modied form of the absorbent carrier forthe waving solution;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary yelevation of a modified form of the inner electrode ofthe outside curl-steaming device;

Figure 10 is aA diagrammatic view of the heater for the entire curled head;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of one form of electrolyte replenisher for the inthe device shown Figure 15 is a fragmentary elevation of the carrier shown in Figure 14.

Objects and advantages attained by our invention are the creation of a deep and brilliant wav for both beauty and great permanency; the in- 5 vention attaining these results by adequate and thorough steaming of all parts of the curls, While automatically guarding against damage from injurious o r uncontrolled heat action. To this end, We insure the penetration of steam entirely 10 through the curl, preferably effecting the steam penetration' both from the inside outwardly and from the outside inwardly. Coneurrently with thorough through and through steaming of the curl the invention provides heat action whereby 15 substantially the lowest efiicient temperature is established and maintained, the correct amount of steaming is insured, and all danger of damage to the hair from over-heating or dry-heating is prevented. To this end the invention provides automatic temperature and time control of the heat, inherent in the process and apparatus, and entirely independent of care and vigilance bythe operator. There is thereby insured thorough and adequate steaming with concurrent safeguards against damage. Our invention also effects economy and safety of operation by great simplification of the steaming apparatus and the avoidance therein of high voltages, unnecessarily high temperatures, and by preventing useless, wasteful and annoying radiation.A 'I'he comfort of the customer, an important factor in beauty treatment, is greatly enhanced by elimination of the greater part of the weight applied to and carried by the customers head during curl steaming with 35 the usual apparatus; and at the same time great radiation of heat, such as is generated by the usual heating sockets, is largely obviated. Likewise the operator is relieved from the usual care and responsibility of time and temperature control,` and the apparatus handled is very much lighter and simpler and avoids danger from burning and the carrying f high voltages. Furthermore, the p ower drawn by the apparatus is very low, thereby greatly reducing power consumption and operating expense. y

`By our invention, the steaming is effected by electrolytic conduction through the Waving solution acting directly adjacent to the-curls; that is, the waving solution for the curl is' electrically 50 vaporized and directly steams the curl.' A low voltage and current only are required, steaming temperature and action are quickly established and maintained, and there is no danger of excessive temperatures. The steaming may be vclosely wardly and from the outside inwardly, the direct heating of the waving solution and direct steaming of the curl thereby,and the means we provide for doing this, being peculiarly adapted and eilicacious in this way to effect the deep, complete and uniform waving entirely through the curl.

In the preferred embodiment of said novel means and apparatus, the electrolytically con-v ducting circuits, with the waving solution forming the electrolyte, constitute the inside mounting, or outside wrapping of the curl, and preferably both; and the steam or vapor generated by the current flow in the solution acts directly and immediately to steam the curls. These novel instrumentalities whereby the complete steaming is eifected with the advantages pointed out, compare favorably in size and weight with the common mandrels and sachets, which usually serve to merely support and moisten the curl; and we thus dispense entirely with the numerous high resistance heating sockets with their attendant expense, weight, cumbersomeness and discomfort, and a certain degree of danger both from burning and high voltages. Concurrently with the saving and simplification in apparatus, the advantages previously generally pointedout are realized. By the electrolytic conduction through the waving solution any danger from high temperatures and voltages near' the operator and customer are avoided, together with the discomforts of waste radiation; and the vaporizing of the waving solution both from within and without the curl, insures thorough steaming action. Of great importance is the automatic safe-guarding, inherent in the invention, which prevents excessive heating, with consequent damage to the hair, and which guards against possible neglect or oversight by the operator, as `the generation o! heat in the liquid itself prevents the temperalture rising above the boiling point, and both the steaming and heating cease when the predetermined quantity of the electrolyte has been dissociated.

As we preferably practice our invention, the curls are wound on foraminous mandrels, which are part of an electrolytically conducting circuit, the mandrel being preferably hollow, the electrolyte and an electrode being within the mandrel. 'Ihus in rour preferred form the actual heating action, as well as the steaming, occurs within the curl, the steam passing through the mandrel to steam 'the interior of the curl. Means are provided, when desired, for replenishing the elec-.- trolyte or ionizing solvent during the steaming, and thus the steaming may be prolonged for a desired period beyond the capacity of the mandrel. The electrolyte is preferably introduced within the mandrel by means of an absorbent member conveniently carried upon the internal conductor or electrode.

The steaming of the curls from the exterior inwardly, in our preferred embodiment, is effected by a device which in its operation and effect is a combined sachet and electrolytic heating device. Its preferred embodiment comprises an impervious flexible metallic outside wrapper for the curl, which is alsov an electrode, with an intermediate layer in which the waving solution is absorbed, and with an interior pervious metallic layer, likewise an electrode. The resistance to electrolytic conduction vaporizes the waving solution and forces it through said pervious layer into the curl. The usual resistance heating sockets, with their great weight, high voltage, excessive 10 and waste radiation are dispensed with, and our novel combined device is practically as simple in construction and of hardly greater weight than the usual sachet.

Our entire waving machine or curl steaming 15 device forconcurrentlysteaming all the curls on the head, is therefore exceedingly simple, comprising simply a step-down transformer or resistor, a simple bus-banand connectors corresponding to the number of curls, the connectors having simple 2c terminal connections for electrically connecting them tothe mandrels and to the outside steaming devices. Most of the expense, apparatus, weight, heat and other disadvantages of the known waving machines is avoided. 25

In accordance with one feature of the invention, graduated steaming longitudinally of the curl is effected by varying the supply of the Waving solution lengthwise. This is ypreferably effected by varying the absorbtlve capacity of the 30 solution carrier along the curl.

The hair waving solutidn or lotion preferably employed comprises .an ionizing solvent in which is dissolved a volatile hair softening compound with or without the addition of a fixed, and prei- 35 erably neutral salt, or other compound. The ionizing solvent is generally water, the volatile hair softening compound dissolved therein may be arnmonia or ammonium carbonate, while a suitable xed salt is sodium bicarbonate. The use of the 40 fixed salt is not essential, but is often desirable as it increases and maintains the conductivity of the solution. In addition to these ingredients, other ingredients such as oils, coloring mattei', perfume and the like maybe added as desired. 45

The foregoing general statement of the inven'- tion, and the following detailed description as well, are illustrative and exemplary of the invention, but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment of 50 the invention illustrated byfway of example in the accompanying drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a curled tress of living hair being steamed both interiorly and exteriorly by electrolytic conduction. 'I'he curled tress i, growing from the 5.5

head, has been wound into a curl about the foraminate mandrel 5, the mandrel being hollow as shown in Figs. l and 5, the walls thereof having perforations 6 for the passage of steam from the interior of the mandrel into the curl. The man- 50 drei has preferably at its lower end 1 means whereby it may be attached to the curl very close toiy the scalp. The upper end 8 of the mandrel is vpreferably open.

In accordance with one feature of the inven- 65 tion, the waving solution is applied as an electrolyte Within the mandrel, and is converted into steam by the electrolytic action, the steam passing through the openings 6 to steam the curl. In the embodied form, an electrolyte absorbing mem- 70 ber l2 is mounted on a metallic support I3, which likewise constitutes one of the electrodes, the metallic mandrel 5 constituting the other electrode. The current passing between the electrodes 5 and i3 and through the waving solution carried by the 75 absorptive member I2 generates steam from the Waving solution, which passing through the openlow voltage and current employed, the ayoidance of excessive temperatures and maintenance of the temperature approximately at the steaming point, and that the current automatically cuts olf whenthe electrolyte becomes exhausted.

The invention also provides means for steaming the curl from the exterior inwardly, and preferably in practice the steaming from the inside outwardly, and from the outside inwardly will be concurrently effected. In the embodied form of exterior electrolytic conduction steaming means, the invention provides as a new article a combined sachet and electrolytically-conducting heating device. In its embodied form it comprises a flexible absorptive Alayer which takes up the waving solution electrolyte, an inner pervious flexible metallic layer, constituting an inner electrode, and

an impervious flexible metallic outer layer or wrapper constituting the outer electrode. As embodied, the solution-absorbing member I6 may be of flannel, feltI or other suitable material, and attached along one side thereof is a sheet I'I of foil, having a plurality of openings I8 therein through which the steam passes in to the curl. The outerA vlayer or wrapper I9 is preferably of impervious -iiowing downto the scalp. The member I6 being saturated with solution, the device is wrapped about the curl, with the member I'I on the vinside in contact with the curl or with the tape 'Cil 23 which is `wound about the curl.

As shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9,y theabsorbent sheet 20 preferably extends toward the scalp to form an appreciable margin which, when the device is applied to a curl, does not lie between the two electrodes and therefore is practically unheated by passage of current through it as its resistance is much greater than that of the rethe scalp as any heated liquid extruded through the upper part of the absorbent 20 must traverse said cooler margin before escaping toward the scalp.

In Fig. 9 another form of means for varying the steaming effect longitudinally of the curl from the outside is shown, the effect inthat case being obtained by varying the perviosity of the member I'I longitudinally of itself and of the curl, preferably by varying the area or the relative number of the holes I8. Similarly, the perviosity of the mandrel may be varied longitudinally of itself, as shown in Fig. 6, and the variably perforated mandrel may be used` in conjunction with the other devices for giving a variable steaming effect,

or may be used in lieu thereof as may be desirable.

When current is passed between the inner and outer electrodes; the waving ysolution electrolyte is steamed and passes through the pervious inner be eliminated, in which case the mandrel itself will form the inner electrode for the outer sheet of foil I 9. `Ordinarily, however, it is preferable to provide the inner sheet of foil II, thereby avoiding wetting of the hair and passage of electric current therethrough.

'I'he exterior steaming device possesses all of the advantages' already set forth in connection with the interior steaming device, and in addition it performs the double function of the usual 10 sachet or lotion-applying means and also does away with the cumbersome resistance coils usually employed to heat and steam the curls by radi- CVI ' ation. A clip 24 may be used about the bottom of the sachet to clamp it about the curl, and a damming washer 25 may be used to insure against hot liquid running down and burning the scalp. The embodiedform of circuit connections are shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and comprise a cap-like member 3I of insulating material, having a central orifice adapted to pass onto and to t over the exterior end of the mandrel tube 5. A spring contact 32 mounted in an internal recess in member 3| engages the upper exterior part of the mandrel and both makes electrical contact with the mandrel and holds the cap on by spring pressure. The strip 32 connects electrically with the binding post 33 for the circuit wire 34. A plurality of spring clips 31 are mounted in the cap 3l, and contact with the exterior electrode I9 30 of the. outer combined sachet and heater." 'I'hese clips at their other ends, beyond their seats in the cap piece 3|, extend inwardly and at said inner ends 38 make spring contact with the inner electrode I3 in the cell within the mandrel. The 35 spring conducting clips 31 are mounted on and electrically connected with a conducting ring 39 within the cap 3| and connect by a binding screw 40 with the circuit wire 4I. In this arrangement the mandrel 5, and/the inner metallic layer or 40 electrode I'I of the sachet, which are in electricalr contact, constitute a common electrode for both the inside and outside steaming devices, andthe outer layer I9 of the sachet and the interior member I3 within the mandrel constitute electrodes 45 of opposite polarity. Bothelectrolytic cells are thus supplied with current from a single pair of circuit wires, and the steam generated by electrolytic conduction steams the curl concurrently from the inside outwardly and from the outside inwardly.

In. accordance with one feature of the invention means are provided, if desired, for replenishing' the electrolyte during the steaming operation to prolong the steaming beyond the period 5 5 permittedv by the capacity of the electrolytic cell itself. It is shown applied to the interiorvof the y mandrel, and as embodied a flexible reservoir 43 is mounted in an upwardly extending mouth or cup-like portion 44 formed in the upper part of 60 the cap 3|, and by compressing the reservoir the electrolyte within it may be forced downwardly and will flow to the interior of the mandrel. It

`will be understood that when the curls are all wound, and the electrolyte carrying member I2 65 is within each mandrel, and the electrolytic sachet is wrapped about the exterior of the curl the corresponding member 3I is slipped over the end of the 4mandrel and forms the circuits as already described.

In Fig. 11 is shown another form of replenishing means for the ionizing solvent or electrolyte within thel mandrel 5, in the event it is desired to prolong the steaming operation beyond the direct capacity of the mandrel. -In this form an 75 absorbent material is carried within a cup-like member 5I formed in the top of the cap 3|, and thisis impregnated with the waving solution, is in contact with the electrolyte carrier I2, and the waving solution will feed down and replenish the electrolyte within the mandrel 5 Without attention on the part of the operator. A special current-conducting head 52 may be attached to the upper end'of the interior electrode wire I3, and said head may be slotted, as shown at 53, to provide for threading the material 5I) from the cup 5I to the carrier I2. f

In some instances it may be found more convenient to replenish the electrolyte by withdrawing the solution carrier I2, re-/saturating same, and re-inserting it within the mandrel. As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the wire I3 may be provided with a metallic head which serves as handle for withdrawing and re-inserting the carrier I2. The head 60 is also adapted to form the electrical contact terminal for member I3, being provided with an annular notch or recess 6I which forms a seat for the spring contact members 63 in the cap member 64. It will further be clear that the head 60 acts as a plug to prevent steam from escaping at the outer end of the mandrel. For this purpose the conoidal base 65 contacts with van insulating gasket 66 of rubber orV the like set into a recess in the cap 64 at the point where it engages the end of the mandrel.

The entire heating machine provided by the invention is exceedingly simple and is'shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2. The service circuit 4l and 4B carries usually 110 volts, and a variable voltage stepdown transformer 49 is used to bring down the voltage to about 3 to l2 volts, depending upon the rate of steaming desired. Current at the reduced voltage is supplied to bus bars 5U, and the various circuit wires 34, 4I carry the caps 3|, and at their other ends are connected in parallel to the bus bar. The entire heating machine from the service wires to the caps 3| Which are attached to the devices applied to the curls are therefore exceedingly light and simple,

- carry current of a very low and harmless voltage, and radiate arl almost inappreciable quann tity of heat.

In practice it is found `that the current consumed by the heating means for a single curl rises to a maximum during the very short time necessary to heat the waving solution to the boiling point. Thereafter the current quickly drops to a very low value and this amount o1' cur- `rent is sufficient tomaintain steaming so long on the pad i8 and/or member l2, and as the relatively heavy electric current passes through the solution, the solution is heated by heat generated within the solution due to the resistance oi the waving solution or electrolyte to the passage o1' the electric current. 'This heating of the electrolyte increases lthe vapor pressure o! the ammonia to cause a slow liberation oi ammonia, and when the temperature has been raised sufliciently water, vapor and steam are also driven oil from the electrolyte. As the heating continues, the flow yor ammonia and steam continues, and some oxygen and hydrogen is liberated at the invention may also be employed with the i both electrodes. ln case a fixed salt, such as sodium bicarbonate, is used, said salt is also niccomposed at the electrodes, but due to the, rapid reversal of polarity, the electrolytic decomposi tion is immediately followed by chemical combi 5 Water. l()

In case the solution or electrolyte comprises water, ammonia and/or ammonium carbonate,

and sodium-bicarbonate, there is always present in the solution a 'considerable amount noi ain-`u monium-carbonate, and this ammonium-carl-rou l5 nate forms a reserve from which ammonia is gradually liberated as the electrolytic action and 4,heating are continued.

When alternating current is employed at least one electrode is preferably of a metal having a 20 high conductivity in both directions at the elec trede-electrolyte interface.

It will be understood, of course, that many other specific compounds andl materials can be used in connection with the apparatus and method 25 described, and that the operation is not dependent upon the specific compositions employed.

While the invention has been shown and det scribed as preferably applied to tresses oi hair wound helically upon mandrels from their root 3U ends outward, the novel features of the invention are not limited to such application. For example called Croquinole wave in which a fiat tr hair is wound spirally from the outer ends ward the roots. r

The invention in its broader aspects is ited to the specific manner of carrying out tile steps, nor to the specific form of means herein, disclosed. but departures may be made there 'om 40 without departing from the main` principles ci le invention and without sacrificing its chief vantages.

l. The process of permanently waving iis-ir which comprises winding a plurality of curls ci? growing hair,l wrapping a iiexible liquid susiainw ing element around each curl, and electroiyzing the liquid within said elements to steam the corresponding curls. ,5g

2. For permanent waving, a flexible electrolvtic circuit device comprising an outer metallic an electrolyte absorbing layer and an inn tallic steam pervious layer, and adapted t placed about a curl to steam it by passageof rent through the electrolyte.

3. A curl heating device for the permanent ing oi.' hair including in combination a el absorbent material and a pair ot flexible trici llic electrodes in sheet form, one only of whit.. 50 perforated, said electrodes being attached to the absorbent sheet to place the absorbent material between said electrodes when the pad is Wound about a wound tress of hair. ,Y A

4. A process of permanently waving lia-ir in ,35 cluding passing an electric current through .a tion positioned closely adjacent to a wound i s oi.' hair and containing a volatile alkali whereby heat and moist alkaline vapor are generated and condensing the moist alkaline vapor on the Womad 'I0 tress of hair.

5. A process oi' permanently waving lia-ir cluding enclosing a wound tress of hair ir an absorbent member carrying a solution contari ng A a volatilealkali and having a high conductivity, 5

passing electric current through said solution at low Voltage to generate heat and moist alkaline vapor and condensing said vapor on the wound tress of hair.

6. A process of permanently Waving hair including enclosing a wound tress of hair in an absorbent member which has its opposite faces in contact with electrodes and is moistened with a highly conductive solution containing a volatile alkali, passing an electric current through said solution to generate hot, moist alkaline vapor and treating the wound hair with said vapor.

7. A permanent waving machine including in combination a step-down transformer to deliver current at a voltage inherently safe to the human body, a plurality of flexible electrolytically conducting and heating pads supplied with power by said transformer and adapted to be individually wrapped about curls to be waved.

8. The process of permanently waving hair which includes positioning hair waving solution containing hair softening ingredients directly adjacent to a curl, translating electrical energy into heat within the solution by electrolytically conducting current through said solution and causing the resulting hot moist vapors generated from the solution to act upon the curl.

9. The process of permanently waving hair which includes positioning highly-conductive hair Waving solution containing hair softening ingredients directly adjacent to a curl, translating low-voltage electrical energy into heat within the solution by electrolytically conducting lcurrent through said solution and causing the resulting hot moist vapors generated from the solution to act upon the curl.

10. A process of permanently waving hair including passing an electric current through a solution containing a Volatile alkali closely adjacent to a wound tress of hair to generate heat and moist alkaline vapor and treating a wound tress with said vapor to permanently Wave it.

11. A curl heating device for the permanent waving of hair including in combination a sheet of absorbent material and a pair of exible metallic electrodes in sheetform, said electrodes being attached to the absorbent sheet to place the absorbent material between said electrodes when the pad is wound about a Wound tress of hair.

l2. A device for permanently waving tresses of hair wound-under tension about a support including curl steaming means comprising an inner electrode sheet, an outer electrode sheet and an electrolyte carrying member positioned between electrodes, the end of the device to be positioned adjacent to the scalp being pliable so that the scalp end of the device may be substantially sealed about the tress of hair between the scalp and the wound portion of the tress.

14. A device for permanently waving tresses of hair wound under tension about a support including curl steaming means comprising an inner electrode sheet, an outer electrode Vsheet and an electrolyte carrying 'member positioned between and in contact with said electrodes, said electrolyte carrier being provided with a margin to be adjacent to the scalp and not in contact with both electrodes so that the margin carries no substantial heating current. y

15. A device for permanently'waving tresses of hair wound under tension about a support including curl steaming means comprising an inner electrode sheet, an outer electrode sheet and an electrolyte carrying member positioned between and in contact with said electrodes, said outer electrode being imperforat'e and both electrodes and the carrying member being deformable to tightly 3o enclose the curl.

16. The method of permanently Waving a curl which comprises moistening an absorbent member with electrolytically-conductive liquid, placing said member between and in contact with two pliable electrodes, positioning the member and electrodes about a curl, deforming the member and electrodes to conform to the shape of the curl and to form a vapor chamber about the curl, and contacting the two electrodes to electric circuit 40 terminals of opposite polarities to electrolytically heat and vaporize the liquid in the absorbent member.

17. A device for permanently waving tresses of hair wound under tension about a support including curl-steaming means comprising an inner electrode sheet, an outer electrode sheet and an electrolyte-carrying member positioned between and in contact with said electrodes, all deformable to tightly enclose a curl, and means for contacting the two electrodes to electric circuit terminals of opposite polarities.

HOBART N. DURHAM. GEORGE B. FINNEGAN, JR. 

